1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat sink and, more particularly, to a heat sink in which a plurality of fins can be easily and securely connected to a heat-conductive rod.
2. Description of Related Art
Heat sinks are widely used for CPU (Central Processing Units). FIG. 1 shows a heat sink including a plurality of adjoined fins 90 made of a thermally conductive material. Each of the fins 90 is provided with a pair of angled edges 93 for engagement with the next fin 90 and with a through-hole 91 surrounded by an annular wall 92 for insertion of a heat-conductive rod 94 therein. The heat-conductive rod 94 has an end designed to be adhered to a heat source, for example, a CPU, so as to transmit heat produced by the heat source to the heat sink, where the heat can easily be dissipated.
In this conventional heat sink, the fins 90 are connected to the rod 94 by tightly fitting the same rod 94 in the through-holes 91 of all fins 90. The rod 94 must have a diameter slightly larger than that of the through-holes 91. If the diameter is much larger than necessary, the rod 94 is difficult to be inserted into the through-holes 91. On the other hand, if the diameter is less larger than necessary, neither the fins 90 can be securely connected to the rod 94 nor the annular walls 92 can be brought into a desired thermal contact with the rod 94.
FIG. 2 shows another heat sink that includes a plurality of spaced fins 8, each having a through-hole 81 surrounded by an annular wall 82 for insertion of a heat-conductive rod 86 therein. Each annular wall 82 here is additionally provided with a tapered portion 84 at a proximal end thereof and with an axial slot 83 which extends from a distal end of the annular wall 82 to the related fin 8, where the slot 83 forms an aperture 85 in which a bar 87 is inserted.
Although the axial slots 83 provides the annular walls 82 with a radial expansibility, which facilitates the insertion of both the rod 86 and the bar 87, it is much possible that the annular walls 82 may be expanded permanently and thus the fins 8 can not be securely connected to the rod 86.
The object of the present invention is to provide a heat sink in which a plurality of fins can be easily connected to a heat-conductive rod.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a heat sink in which the plurality of fins can be securely connected to the heat-conductive rod.
The present invention provides a heat sink comprising a plurality of spaced fins made of a thermally conductive material. Each of the fins has at least one through-hole surrounded by an annular wall. The annular wall is additionally provided with at least one axial slot which has a front end at a certain distance from the distal end of the annular wall and which extends to the related fin to form an aperture therein. A heat-conductive rod is inserted in the through-holes of the fins and fitted in the annular walls. Moreover, a bar is inserted in the apertures in the fins. The bar is made low melting material so as to join the fins to the heat-conductive rod after being melt and then hardened becoming hard again.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.